53 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
53 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
# TriacDimmer
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An arduino library for controlling a triac dimmer.
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This library was designed to perform phase-control dimming control on a triac dimming circuit,
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leveraging the ATmega328p's built-in timer peripheral to perform all time-critical functionality directly in hardware,
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without the need to spend CPU time on an expensive control loop.
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Note that this library is intended to control mains AC power.
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Make sure you understand the risks and take appropriate precautions before working with mains AC.
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The phase offsets are calculated based on the _measured_ mains frequency,
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so this code will work regardless of 50/60Hz or any other frequency.
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This includes correcting for any inaccuracies in the arduino's oscillator or the mains frequency.
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This library was developed specifically for the Krida 2 CH Dimmer
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([amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Dimmer-Module-Controller-Arduino-Raspberry/dp/B06Y1GVG26),
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[alibaba](https://mdwdz.en.alibaba.com/product/60670737878-804998378/2CH_AC_LED_Light_Dimmer_Module_Controller_Board.html),
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[inmojo](http://www.inmojo.com/store/krida-electronics/item/2-channel-ac-led-bulb-dimmer-module-v2/)),
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and has been tested to work with the RobotDyn AC Dimmer
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([robotdyn](https://robotdyn.com/ac-light-dimmer-module-1-channel-3-3v-5v-logic-ac-50-60hz-220v-110v.html)),
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and should work fine with other phase-control dimming circuits that output a positive edge on their sync signal.
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See [the example](examples/basic_example/basic_example.ino) for an example of how to use the library.
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The library methods themselves are documented in [the library header](src/TriacDimmer.h).
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This library **requires** the use of certain pins.
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Pin 8 _must_ be used as the sync input, and pins 9 and 10 are the only pins that can be used as channel outputs.
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This library _will not work_ on any other pins, period.
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## Flickering, and How to Fix It
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If you experience issues with flickering, there are a handful of parameters you can pass to `begin` that can be adjusted depending on what sort of flickering you have.
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By default, with no arguments the library uses these values as defaults:
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```cpp
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TriacDimmer::begin(pulse_length = 20, min_trigger = 2000, on_thresh = 2, off_thresh = 0.01)
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```
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First off, if you experience flickering regardless of the brightness value you set, increase `pulse_length` from the default `20` to a larger value like `50` or `100` until `TriacDimmer::setBrightness(pin, 0.5);` results in a stable glow.
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Once it's stable at 0.5, set the brightness 1.0 (`TriacDimmer::setBrightness(pin, 1.0);`) and check for flickering.
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There shouldn't be any, but if there is you can increase `min_trigger` from the default `2000` to perhaps `3000` or `4000` until the flickering stops.
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If you're still experiencing flickering no matter how large `min_trigger` is, you can also try setting `on_thresh` to below the highest brightness level that causes flickering. This shouldn't normally be necessary though, as adjusting `min_trigger` should normally be enough.
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The last step is to figure out the lowest brightness value can sustain without flickering.
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By default the library is set to cut off completely for brightness values smaller than `0.01`, but if you still see flickering at `0.015` or `0.02` you can try setting `off_thresh` to a value that's larger than that.
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If you've tried all of these steps and you still get flickering, consider opening an issue.
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Make sure to include as much information about your setup as you can, including the specific dimmer board you're using.
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Also, if you have access to an oscilliscope, screenshots are always helpful in trying to diagnose flickering.
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